Seed Pod

[CPsInAtl]

How can you tell when a seed pod has since ripened? The oldest bud on my capensis has swollen to much larger than it once was, but it still has some green. Should one wait until its black and dead?

 

[glider14]

no more of a brown and crispy. you should take it off before it cracks though or else you will have seedlings galore!
alex

 

[PlantAKiss]

Alex is right...wait until it is brown.  Seed pods don't really turn black.

You can make a small envelope out of a square of paper and either drop the dried buds into the envelope or roll the bud gently between your fingers over the envelope.  Once you've emptied the pod, you can fold the envelope up, label it with the plant name and date harvested, and you can store in the fridge if you aren't going to sow them right away.

Here is a way to make great little seed envelopes for storaging collected seed:

http://www.carnivorousplants.org/seedbank/Envelope.htm

 

[jimscott]

Suzanne, since sending seeds is a common occurence, can that link be pinned?

 

[CPsInAtl]

Oh I've got the envelope with that plants name all over it...

I'll wait until it browns then cut it off.

 

[CPsInAtl]

If you clip an old flower stalk off a capensis before its all the way brown, do you interrupt seed production? I am going on vacation in a few days and some of them look like they are going to pop, and I dont' want seed everywhere...

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

If you have a few brown pods at the base of the scape, then I would cut it. That should give you hundreds of seeds, and really, how many do you need?